Of the inhabitants of the Moon little is known to Earthling science. This is due to the said inhabitants of Earth’s natural satellite being rather reclusive beings, living as they do in a system of caves and tunnels within the Moon, which contain pockets of enough air for organic beings to survive.
Of these species of Moon creatures there are three, each of unique origin. The first are a humanoid species known as Moonites. Shrunken and dwarfish, they feed on an energy source found near the very centre of the satellite.
The second are known as Selenites, and are an intelligent insect species related to the better-known insectoid inhabitants of the planet Mars.
The third, known by the name of Lunarians (it should be noted that the names of the three species have often been confused), are the most mysterious of all. They are a type of semi-corporeal being, somewhat human of shape but a glistening silver of hue. Having developed advanced science, including Space travel, they nevertheless maintain their reclusive ways, at least for the most part.
There have been incidents, profoundly rare and little reported as they are, of some certain adolescent members of the Lunarian race drifting down to Earth and interacting with humankind. This is a rather dangerous thing, and humans should be thankful of its rarity, since the Lunarians possess rather highly developed psychic or mentalist abilities, and even their youngest offspring can easily detect the thoughts of Earthlings.
The mental powers of these young Lunarians, coupled with the naiveté of their youth, would also make them ripe for exploitation by any being advanced enough and yet at the same time unscrupulous enough to attempt such a thing. Fortunately for the safety and sanity of those upon Earth and other worlds, there are few beings in existence who would envisage such an horrid agenda, while at the same time having the ability to possibly carry out such a crime
In fact, I only know of one such incident in all of history. …
My name is Doctor Daniel Rumanos. With the heritage of the legendary Watchers of Algol, whose technology appears as magic, I protect Earth from all manner of menace. I am -- The Daemon-Star! …
The Full Moon shone down its argent leprous light over the fields just outside the town of Tuxedo, New York, as we arrived. I was driving my specially-modified canary-coloured Edwardian roadster, affectionately known as “Lizzie”. I parked the car at the centre of the grassy field and my companion and I got out.
I was clad in my usual finery, including a frilled poet shirt, purple velvet suit, jungle boots, panama hat, my Star of David necklace, and one of my favourite opera capes.
My companion, known as Miss Millie Drake, is an exceedingly beautiful young lady; petite and perfect with luxurious chestnut hair, enchanting violet eyes, and a sun-kissed complexion. The pink dress she wore only served to highlight her slender figure.
Our catlike personal computer, the robotic Kit-10, had stayed behind at headquarters to finish some electronic filing tasks.
“So this is where our systems at HQ detected the presence of Lunarians?” queried Millie.
“Quite so,” I affirmed as we investigated the field area. “You remember the last time we encountered them, of course. It turned out to just be some young ones out for a joyride in the family spaceship, hmmm?”
“Do you think that’s what it is this time, Daniel?”
“More than likely, my dear Mills. There is no other likely reason why Lunarians would visit Earth. They are far too reclusive. Nevertheless, we must investigate for safety’s sake.”
I took the transonic mezuzah from my pocket and used it to scan the area.
“By the Triune Star!” I swore. “That is quite odd. My scan indeed shows the presence of numerous Lunarians, but they are intentionally hiding themselves.”
“Why would they do that?” my companion enquired.
I changed the setting on the transonic and pointed to-wards the Moon for a moment before returning the device to my pocket. “For no good reason that I can think of. It is as if…”
“Daniel, look!” cried Millie.
I looked around to see what had so startled the young lady and beheld some weirdness indeed. Suddenly surrounding us were at least a score or so silvery shapes, slim and vaguely humanoid of form, shimmering all around us in the darkness of the night.
“Lunarians,” I confirmed, “and they are not alone. Look over there!”
Approaching us through the group of iridescent Lunarians was a man clad in a black silk business suit with a long blood-red necktie. He appeared to be of middle years, his face still handsome and distinctive despite bearing the marks of lifetimes of extreme unmitigated evil. His hair was long and dark, and his visage decorated with a thin moustache and goatee. Most of all, his pale eyes shone with an absolute hypnotic glare.
Of course, I recognised him immediately; I recognised him as my own oldest and most bitter foe, the interstellar criminal renegade of my own Algolite race who has become the most wanted terrorist in all of Time and Space.
“Greetings, Rumanos,” he mocked. “My Lunarian comrades and I have been expecting you. They are totally devoted to me, and I shall use their combined psychic powers to conquer this world and many others. I -- Don Wingus -- am the Master of the Moon!”
“You!” I exclaimed. “Of course. I should have known. So you did escape from Kuthalu, and have used your own Algolitish powers to bend these young Lunarians to your control, hmmm?”
“Exactly, Rumanos,” returned the criminal. “I have combined my vastly superior mind with theirs, thus creating a force beyond mortal reckoning -- a force that shall be irresistible when I turn it to conquest of all!”
“Wingus, you are utterly and irredeemably mad! This is a criminal action beyond belief. These Lunarians are barely adolescents amongst their own race. For you to so influence and exploit them is akin to psychic rape.”
“Oh, listen to you with your petty moralist dogmas, you spy and professional assassin for the Kosmikos. I have had more than enough of your meddling, do you hear? I have had more than enough of you, Daniel Rumanos, and now I shall display my powers over these Moon creatures by compelling them against you and your little companion!”
“Daniel,” Millie cried. “They’re coming closer, and I can feel them entering my thoughts!”
“Resist it, Mills,” I told my companion as the psychic attack turned on me as well. “Resist it with all that you can. The Lunarian mind-power augmented with the will of Wingus is indeed powerful, but we must resist!”
The score of Lunarians was by now fully engaged in attacking our minds, with a power that seemed well-nigh omnipotent. Despite our struggle, Millie and I felt our very thoughts were no longer our own as the pain of their forceful mentalist penetration became more and more intense.
“There is no escape now,” announced Don Wingus amongst peals of his sick insane laughter. “There is no escape for you meddling fools. The Lunarians that are under my command will now destroy your very minds!”
Is it even at all possible that you can see the extreme unholy terror, forsooth the total unnameable horror and complete ungodly fear of the horrendous situation in which we then found ourselves, my dear readers? There we were, the lovely Miss Millie Drake and me -- Doctor Daniel Rumanos, alien secret agent and stellar swashbuckler. There we were, facing the evil intergalactic criminal known to eternal infamy and everlasting damnation as Magister Don Wingus -- himself the most felonious being in all the known Universe -- along with his assembled company of Lunarians which he intended to utilise in his mad scheme to conquer the planet Earth before going forth to also establish himself as emperor of countless other worlds. There we were, as Wingus commanded the young Lunarians to use their advanced mentalist powers to attack the very minds of my companion and me -- we being the only thing he saw standing in the way of his insane plans!
“Take them, my Lunarian comrades!” ordered the madman. “Take them and enter into their very thoughts, invading all that they hold most secret. Drive them to utter mental collapse that they may not interfere with our conquest of this and other worlds!”
The mental powers of the Lunarians entered our minds further and further, sifting through our thoughts and dreams and hopes and fears.
“Fight it, Millie,” I counselled. “Do not let them into your deepest mind, or all will be lost.”
“I’m trying, Daniel,” she sobbed. “There are just so many of them!”
“It is hopeless, Rumanos and Miss Drake,” exulted the wicked Don Wingus. “You cannot resist the combined power of my Lunarians. You have no chance of breaking free of them! Then, I shall be… What! What is that?!”
Above us, at that very moment, had appeared an huge spherical vehicle, accompanied by the sound of its engine, a whining sound so high as to be barely audible to organic hearing.
“What is this outrage?” said an authoritatively masculine voice issuing forth from the spaceship. “Who has exploited these young citizens of the Moon that it is my task to protect? I am -- The Grand Selemoonarian.”
Millie and I then felt the Lunarian psychic powers leaving their invasion of our minds.
“Daniel,” whispered my companion, recovering from the pain of the psychic assault, “is that who you sent that signal to; the one when you pointed the transonic to-wards the Moon?”
“Indeed so, my dear Millie,” I verified. “The Grand Selemoonarian is an highly-advanced artificial intelligence program that the three races inhabiting the Moon have agreed to use as a form of law enforcement; not only amongst themselves -- but against any being that attempts to attack or exploit them!”
By now, the group of shimmering Lunarians had drifted upwards to vanish into the ship.
“They will be returned to their families and counselled against any further unauthorised trips to Earth,” explained the voice. “As for the one who attempted their subjugation, his punishment must be more severe.”
“You cannot ‘punish’ me!” bellowed the villain, his outrage attempting to mask his fear. “I am Don Wingus of Algol, the rightful ruler of worlds. You cannot… You… !”
Something like a silver chain, barely existing in the physical realm yet of great effect, had surrounded Don Wingus entirely, silencing him and imprisoning his movements.
“You will be incarcerated in our non-physical detention centre,” announced the Selemoonarian, “from which there is no escape.”
Then, before he could even protest further, the felonious Don Wingus blinked out of existence.
“Many thanks to you, Agents of Algol,” continued the voice, “for alerting us to this infraction against the harmony of the Moon.”
“You are quite welcome, good sir,” I replied. “I bid you, and all inhabitants of the Lunar realm, peace and tranquillity.”
With this the silver spherical space ship ascended quickly through the atmosphere, soon being lost to our sight.
“So Daniel,” said Millie Drake, “do you think the prison he spoke of will be able to hold Don Wingus?”
“We shall see, love,” I replied. “The Absolute Convention of the Watchers will be contacted to monitor the situation, hmmm? In any event, for all intents and purposes that non-corporeal prison will be for Wingus as if he does not exist.”
We had by now returned to our car, and I started up the motor.
“As for now,” I continued, “I know of an all-night diner near here where we can get some breakfast, hmmm?”
“Pancakes and turkey bacon?” smiled Millie.
“Of course, my dear," I approved as we drove off under the moonlight, “along with some highly-caffeinated coffee.”
***** DANIEL RUMANOS AND MILLIE DRAKE SHALL RETURN
